Not 1.07 billion colors, but "only" 16.7 million: no Galaxy S26 model actually has a 10-bit panel?

Well, well, well: is there a nasty surprise in store for those who've preordered a Galaxy S26 phone, thinking that it would have native 10-bit color depth support? As it just might turn out, all Galaxy S26 models might support only 8-bit color depth.

Pre-order the Galaxy S26 for up to $500 off

$399 ⁹⁹

$899 ⁹⁹

$500 off (56%)

The "vanilla" Galaxy S26 has finally been announced. With a next-gen Galaxy AI and a powerful chip, this phone checks all the boxes. Right now, you can pre-order the phone for up to $500 with trade-ins.

Pre-order at Samsung

Pre-order the Galaxy S26+ for up to $700 off

$399 ⁹⁹

$1099 ⁹⁹

$700 off (64%)

The Galaxy S26+ is here, bringing improved software and a more powerful processor. The device can now be available for up to $700 off at the official store with eligible device trade-ins.

Pre-order at Samsung

Pre-order the Galaxy S26 Ultra for up to $900 off

$399 ⁹⁹

$1299 ⁹⁹

$900 off (69%)

The Galaxy S26 Ultra has been announced, bringing a Privacy Screen feature, insanely fast processor, and multiple Galaxy AI enhancements. Right now, you can pre-order the flagship for up to $900 off with eligible trade-ins.

Pre-order at Samsung

What's the story?

There were early rumors that the Galaxy S26 Ultra's display panel would be an 8-bit one. In the weeks before the Galaxy Unpacked event (at which the Galaxy S26 family was finally officially presented), the narrative shifted. The 10-bit color depth claim was made.

Now, things go in the opposite direction and back to the 8-bit reality, SamMobile reports. They've contacted a Samsung representative who told them that the Galaxy S26 Ultra actually has an 8-bit native display. Of course, since the most expensive and premium model of the three doesn't offer 10-bit, it's only logical to conclude that the Galaxy S26 and the Galaxy S26 Plus are stuck at 8-bit color depth, too. However, the Samsung representative confirmed that no Galaxy S26 model has a 10-bit display.

However, the color representation on the newer models is better than on the Galaxy S25 series. This reduced color banding could be happening thanks to a 10-bit color depth simulation that's achieved by an 8-bit panel and FRC (frame rate control).

8-bit vs. 10-bit

An 8-bit display can show 256 shades per color channel – that's red, green and blue. When you combine those, you get about 16.7 million total colors (256 x 256 x 256).

A true 10-bit display can show 1,024 shades per color channel. That results in about 1.07 billion total colors. Way more.

And it's all about smoother gradients. With 8-bit panels, you can sometimes see color banding – visible steps in what should be a smooth transition, like a sunset sky shifting from orange to dark blue. A 10-bit panel dramatically reduces that banding because it has four times more tonal steps per channel.

But most smartphone content is mastered in 8-bit. True 10-bit content mainly shows up in HDR video formats like HDR10 or Dolby Vision. Moreover, manufacturers often use 8-bit + FRC (frame rate control). FRC rapidly alternates between nearby color values to simulate intermediate tones. To the human eye, it can look very close to true 10-bit, especially on small screens like phones.